Coaster train



H. G. "rRAvER Jan. 3, 1928'.

COASTER TRAIN Filed Aug. l0, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

H. G. TRAVR COASIERl TRAIN I Filed Aug. 10, 1925 NN@ .w1 NN THM Hiram,

Patented Jan. v3, 1928.

l, iwrruiaroFFicE.

COASTER TRAIN.

Appiieanon mea August 1o, 192e. `serial No. 128,341. i

This invention rela-tes to amusement rides wherein a train the cars ofwhich are interconnected'and each of the cars ofthe train, with theexception of a car at one end, is supported at one end by"tractionwheels and the opposite end being y.coupled and supported by the wheelsupported' end of an adjacent car, a traction wheel supported truckbeing coupled to and supporting the one end of an end car, and it istheobject of the invention to provide improved means for coupling the carsof a train together and support the fone end of a car from an adjacentcar to provide a train of flexibly connnected cars to permit the cars ofa train to assume variable positions yone relative to the other due toirregularities ina track structure along which the train is propelledVwith-v out set-ting up stressesandostrains 1n the structure of, thecars.

A further object of the invention relates to the arranging of 4thecoupling .means rfor cars in a train of Vthis character as a'maincoupling means to `normally couple the cars together to permit one cart-o have variable movementrelative to another car', andanv auxiliarycoupling means rendered effect-ive.

and operative to automatically couple the cars together upon the maincoupling means lbeing rendered ineffective as by the break` ingof the.same during the travelv of the train.

' Another object ofthe invention relates to certain features ofstructure of a car in coaster trains to provide safety means which notonly serves to prevent 'a carfrom leaving y theV track but lserves as anemergency support forthe cars.

' Otherobjects and advantages will hereinafter appear.

' In the drawings accompanying and forminga part of this specification Ihave shown an embodiment of the invention in' which Figure 1, is a planviewof a train of cars showingl my improved means for coupling the carsof the train together.

Figure-2 is a sideelevation of the first two cars of a trainto show themannerof supporting the one endofthe carsupon the 4traction wheels andthe coupling to andrsup-y porting of one car from'the'wheeled end of anadjacent car.l as well asthe supporting of the forward end of theforward car.

Figure 3 is an end elevation of a car showing the same engaged uponatrack structure and the latter shown in section.

Figure 4 is a perspective View, partly broken away, vof ka car to showthe structure of the 'car body and frame.

V.Figure 5 is a side elevation of the forward orv pilot car and themanner of supporting the same upon a pilot truck.

Figure 6 islaperspectiveview of the frame ofthe pilot'truck.

Figure 7 vis a sectional view of thepilot truck andthe means to couplethe same with the .pilotl car.l

IVFigure 8 isa view looking atl the top of the coupling'means for lthecars of the train.

Figure 9 1s a sectional View of the cou'- pling means taken on ,theline'9-9 of Figure f lFigure 1() isa side elevationk of the'cou- Y pling means.

ical orfball 'member forming apartv of the coupling means.

Figure 12 is a perspective viewl of a' socket member forming' a. part fof the coupling 'means to embrace the spherical ory ball meinvber; and fFigure 13 is an end'elevation of a portion of a Vcar frame to show thearrangement of an emergency support mounted thereon. y In carrying outthe invention there is provvidedna train embodying a series of inter@connected cars 14, in the present instance as shown in Figure 1, four innumber, although in practice aigreater number of cars may be used. Eachcar embodies a suitable frame work, comprising side members 15substantially of inverted L shape in cross section lone portionVVextending in a vertical plane and the other portion laterally of thesides, Said members 'being connected at opposite ends Figure 11 is aperspective view of a Sphe'r;

.A seat 18 is mounted upon the side members at the rear thereof, saidfseathaving a back rest 19 and sidev supports 20.

The rear ends of the cars are supported -bywheels 21 to have tractionupon a track structure (designated in a general way by 'l'.)pbuilt up oflaminations of boards and having a sheet metal strip 22 at the top. Thewheels'are journalled upon 'studs or axles mounted in carriers 23 ofinverted U lshape in cross section fixed to and within the'side membersof the frame, las clearly shown in Figure 3.

The forward end of the one end or pilot car is supported by a pilottruck comprising a rect-angular frame 24 the top member' of which isextended beyond the ends and mounted at opposite ends upon flangedwheels 25, the wheels being journalled upon studs or shafts yfixed ininverted U shaped members similar to the mounting of the wheels at therear of the cars, and fixed to the ends of the `truck frame. Thetruck iscoupled with the adjacent car by a shaft Q6 fixedly mounted at oneendintermediate the ends of the truck, as at 27, to extjend in the plane ofthe longitudinal axis of the car.. The side members of the forward carare extended forwardly of the cross member 16 with the ends terminatingin a plane with the intermediate portion ofthe extended frame portion28with a cross plate 29 fixed at opposite ends to the extensions of theside members. as shown in Figures l and 2. The shaftv 26 extends fromthe front cross'plate 29 and has the innerend reduced and rotatablymounted vin a bearing,

together a bracket or bearing'member 3l is fixed `to the intermediateportion of the frame extension 28 in line with -the longitudinal axis ofthe car frame and having a semi-spherical or globular recess 32 with aball or'spherical member 33 engaged or seated in said recess andretained thereby by a cap 34, said cap having a semispherical orglobular recess to fit the contour of the spherical member 33 secured tothe member 31 as by bolts or cap screws 3/77, said latter member havingan undercut .portion in the face thereof for the engagement of apor-tion 36 projecting from the face of the cap to hold the two membersagainst lateral displacement. The members 3l and '34 form a socketmember of a ball and` socket coupling the other member of whichcomprises the spherical member 33 `whereby one member of the couplingmay 4member of the ball andsocket coupling,in

thel present instance the socketv member 3l, 34, is fixed to theintermediate portion vof the .frame extension 28 of a car to engagebetween said frame extension and the cross For this purpose a bracket 40is fixed' erical member.; isl engaged between the legs'of thelbifurcation with the ends of the trunnions contiguous tosaidlegsand theopening'v through therspherical member in line with thel perforations 42and secured in said position by aheaded stud or pinVv engaged in ,thebifurcation yperforations 42 and the opening through the sphericalmember and secured therein by a nut 44 threadedonto the outer end ofsaid pin. The coupling members'l, 34 and 40 are adapted not Aonly-tohavemovement on a horizontal i axis extending transversely of the cars, but

also yto have universal movementA about the Y spherical member 33 ofthecou-pling, thus facilitating the travel of the cars in safety p aroundcurves'and down' and up risesl and dips in the track structure withoutthepossibilityv of one car exerting ajforce upon another car lor carswhich may'tend .to derail-*the same. Byvthiskarrangement the forward endof a c ar is not only coupled tothe next vforward car but the tractionvwheel supported rear ofl a forward car also serves as a. support forthe forward/endvof Y the succeedingcar. Y n

Should the cars be uncoupied as by the breaking of a member of the balland vsocket members ofthe coupling, as by the shearing of the connectingpin, or theA releasing of the coupling cap 34, and a consequent droppingof theforward end of a car with the possibility ofY injury to thepassengers thev coupling members 31, 40 are arranged as auxiliarycoupling members adapted` lto be automatically operative to couple thecarsI together should the ball and socketportions of theinain Acouplingbe-vrendered inoperative for any reason.` For this purpose a recess 45is cut into the top "edge of each.

of the. legs of the bifurcation ofthe bracket 40 and an intermediateportion of the*A frame extension 28`is adaptedto engagefingsaid recessesandv should the `rforward endofva V'car drop said intermediate portion.will "engage and be supportedupon the bifu'rcated arms in position to beengaged by 'the'Y rear lwalls of 'said recesses andrthereby coupling thecars together. Y

Means are provided toprevent'derailm'ent of the cars, or the lifting ofthe cars from the track when braking mechanism is set'in operationtobring the cars to a stop as they ment of the'laterally extendingportion with the track lamination to have sliding engagement therewith.'Ihese safety `shoes 46 are mounted on the cars in interposed 'relationto blocks 48, preferably of wood, carrying plates 49 on the undersurfaceto serve 'as brake shoes for the slidable engagement of a rail50'pivotally mounted on supports 51 Y pivotally carried on the tracksupporting structure, and one of said supports-51 being arranged with ahand lever operativeto move the rail upward and into engagement with thebrake shoes 49, this being arranged at the loading` station to retardthe'movef ment of and bring the cars to a stopA at the loading station.

The cars are also provided with an emergency support atthe forward end,comprising plates 52 fixed to the ends of the cross member 16 at theforward end and having a member 53 extending upwardly and laterally ofthe car frame to position above the track rails, as shown in Figure 13'.

Having thus described my invention I claim:

1. In a coaster train, a plurality yof cars,

each cararranged with wheels at k'one end fortraction support, theopposite end being arranged with means to couplethe car to and supportthe same fromtli'e wheel 'supported end 0f an adjacent car, comprising aspherical member' carried by one car to have free universal movement,and means movably connected with the spherical member mounted on theother car.

2. In a coaster train, a plurality of cars, each car arranged withWheels at one end for traction support, the opposite end being arrangedwith means to couple the car to and support the same from the wheelsupported end of an adjacent car, comprising a spherical member mountedon one car to have free universal movement, and means fixed on the othercar pivotally connected with the spherical member.

3. Ina coaster train, a .plurality of cars, each car arranged withwheels at one end for traction support, the opposite end being arrangedwith means to couple the car to and support thesame from an adjacentcar, comprising a carrier mounted on the end of the frame of one car, aball member movably mounted within said carrier having axial oppositelyextending trunnions with au opening through said member and'trunnions,and a bifurcated member carried by the other car having perfor-ations inthe legs of the bifurcations and between wliichbifurcation the trunnionsof the spherical member are adapted to engage, and means engaged inl theperforations ofthe. bifurcation legs and spherical member for couplingthe cars together. j y

4. A coaster train vembodying a plurality offcars as claimed in claim 3,wherein the bifurcated member on the one car is a1'- ranged with arecess in the top andthe carrier for the spherical member mounted 0n theother'carbeing arranged to extend over said bifurcated member superposedtosaid recess lfor the purpose specified.

5.v In facoaster train embodyinga plurality of cars, each car arrangedwith and'supi" ported by traction wheels at one end, the

vopposite end being arranged with means to,

couple the car to and support the-same from vthe wheel supported endofan adjacent car comprising a spherical member, a socket member inwhich the spherical' -membery is mounted to have free universal movementmounted on 'said unsupported car end, and

a perforated bifurcated ymember carried by the'wheel supported end ofthe other car for engagement at opposite sidesv of and pivotallyconnected with rthe spherical member. y

'6. In a coaster train embodying a plurality of cars, each car' arrangedwith wheels at one'end for traction support, theV unsupported end of onecar lbeing,arranged with means to couple the car lto'and support thesame from the wheel supported endof an adjacent car, comprising aysocket member carried at the end of one car, a vspherical membermounted in the lsocket member and the latter adapted to have universalmovement, said socket member having trunnions extending laterallytherefrom, and a bifurcated member having the vlegs perforated mountedon 'the end of the other-car for engagement of the trunnions of thespherical member therebetween, and means to engage in the bifurcationperforations and having an operative connection with the sphericalmember to permit of movement of the spherical and bifurcated membersVabout a horizontal axis and extending transversely of the cars and saidmembers to have universal movementrelative tothe socket member.

7. In a coaster train embodying a plurality of cars, each car arrangedwith and supported by traction wheels at one end, the opposite end ofeach car being arranged with meansyto couple the car to andl support thesame from the wheel supported end of an adjacent car, comprising aspherical member mounted on one carto permit said member and the car tohave movement one relative to the other about a horizontal axisextending transversely of the car, and a socket member mounted on theadjacent car` and embracing the. spherical member to permit saidspherical and socket members to have universal movement one relative tothe other to compensate for the movement between the versely of the car,anda socket-'member embracing thev spherical member mount-ed on theother .car to permit of universal movement ofthe spherical and socketmember relative to each other. i

9. In a coaster train7 a plurality of cars, each car, being arrangedwith wheels for trac-tion support at one end, and means to couple theotheroend of the car with the wheel supported end of an adjacent car,comv prising vmain coupling means to permit ,of

the cars to have universal-movement relative to each other, and anauxiliary coupling means adapted to be automatically operative to couplethe cars upon the disconnecting of the main coupling means. Y

l0. In a coaster train, a plurality of cars, each car arranged with Aandsupported by traction .wheels at oneend, and a coupling member carriedby each car to couple and support the other end of the cars from thetraction wheelsupportedendl of an adjacent car, one coupling memberembodying a sphere and a socket'to embraceand carry the sphere mountedon one'car, andthe other coupling member mounted on the other car andpivotally connected to the sphere7 and said coupling members arrangedwith parts normally out of connection and adapted to be automaticallyconnected to couple the cars together by the sphere and socket beingrendered inoperative to couple the cars.v l l.

11. In acoaster train, `a plurality otcars, each car 'embodying asupporting frame arranged with wheels to tractionally support the 'carat one end, a socket member carrying` a ball therein fixed to theopposite end of the car'fran'ie in a plane with the longitudinal axis ofthe car, means to connect the ball to lthe wheel supported end of anadjacent car, and plates fixed to the bottom of the car frame toextenddownwardlynand then in 'a direction laterally of the frame to bedisposed below andnormally outrofcontact with the rails of the trackstructure uponwhich said wheels travel, 12. In a coaster train, aplurality of cars, each car n embodying a supporting. frame with wheelsat the rear end to tractionally support thefcar, a socket membercarrying a ball therein lixed to the orw'ardendojf the car ramein aplane withrthe` longitudinal axis of the car, a bifurcated bracketextending rearwardly from the trameof the wheel supported end of anadjacent car to which the ball is pivotally connect-ed5and plates fixedyto the forward end of the car frame to extend upwardly and laterallythereof and normally disposed above and out of contact with the railsot' the bracket structure `vupon which the traction wheels travel. Y j

13. In cars for coaster trains asclaimed in claim 2, whereby thetraction wheels are arranged for travel upon rails of a track structure,plates xed to the cars toextend down- Y wardly therefrom within therails and then laterally below an inwardly extending portion ofsaidrails, andplates `iixed to and extending laterally of the earsaboveYthe rails of the track structure, and said plates beingnormally-positioned out of contact with the track rail. l 1 l Signed atthe city voit New York, in the county of New York and State of New Yorkthis 13th day of July, 1926.

HARRY egrnavnn.

